The present invention relates to systems and methods for interactive television applications. More particularly, the present invention relates to systems and methods for providing programming blackout features in interactive television program guides.
Program guides typically provide program listings that indicate the channels and times of scheduled programs. Users may select a program listing to, for example, tune to a program and obtain additional information for the program. Program listings and other information in guide screens of the prior art, however, may not always be accurate because of programming blackouts. A programming blackout occurs when a distribution facility, or other facility, does not broadcast programming at the time it was scheduled to be broadcast.
Three illustrative types of blackouts are bandwidth blackouts, affiliate protection blackouts, and venue protection blackouts. Bandwidth blackouts may occur when a program has larger than typical bandwidth requirements. For example, a sports program may require more bandwidth than a non-sports program due to its fast-action nature. When a sports program is broadcast, bandwidth may be borrowed from another channel in order to satisfy the increased bandwidth requirement of the sports program. Borrowing bandwidth from a channel may prevent the broadcast of a regularly scheduled program in that channel. Thus, a blackout of that regularly scheduled program occurs.
Affiliate protection blackouts may occur when the same program is scheduled to be broadcast on two separate channels, such as a local network affiliate and a national channel. In an attempt to protect the interests of the local network affiliate, the television service provider may black out the commonly scheduled program on the national channel in the locality of the local network affiliate.
Venue protection blackouts may occur, for example, when the provider of a live event wants to protect the venue of the live event by preventing the event from being televised. For example, when a sporting event, or other event, is not sold out, the sports team may prohibit the broadcast of the event in an attempt to increase ticket sales and attendance for the event and for future events. Thus, a programming blackout may occur on the channel scheduled to broadcast the event.
Program guide listings may falsely indicate the availability of unavailable or ‘blacked-out’ programs because program guide data is typically provided to the program guide in advance of the actual broadcast of a program. Programming blackouts can affect various program guide features. For example, a user may select a television program listing to view a program, unaware that the program has been blacked out. The guide will tune to the channel but some other program or a blank screen will be presented. Some users may find this undesirable. As another example, a user may set a reminder for a program that is later blacked out. When the reminder is shown, the user may attempt to tune to the program for which the reminder was scheduled. The absence of the program may confuse or even frustrate the user who must then return to the guide and search for another program. As yet another example, a user may schedule the recording of a program that is later blacked out. The program guide may attempt to record the blacked-out program, but some other program or a blank screen presented on the channel of the blacked-out program will be recorded instead. Some users may find this undesirable.
When pay-per-view programs are blacked out users may be permitted to order the blacked-out pay-per-view programs. Upon ordering a blacked out program, the user may tune to watch the program only to be presented with another program or a blank screen. This may cause the user uncertainty as to whether or not the ordered program has still charged to the user's account.
It would be desirable therefore to provide an interactive television program guide that includes features for supporting programming blackouts.